Drinking alcohol is socially acceptable in our society. A glass of wine at dinner or a couple of beers on the weekend seems harmless enough. But is that true? Is moderation with something that your body doesn’t need acceptable?
The short answer is – no. Drinking even one alcoholic drink per day is linked with a 5% increase in the risk of breast cancer, a 17% increase in the risk of oropharyngeal cancer (the middle part of the throat) and a 30% increase in the risk of esophageal cancer compared with not drinking, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The link between alcohol consumption and cancer has been firmly established, and that is only one of the health issues it can cause.
Action – Current recommendations by the CDC state that if alcohol is consumed, it should be at a limit of one drink per day for women and up to two for men. They also recommend that if you don’t consume alcohol, do not start for any reason. These guidelines are not for optimal health – they are there to reinforce the fact that drinking alcohol is neither necessary or healthy.
A standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of spirits such as vodka or rum. The CDC also advises that you can’t save up for the weekend and drink the recommended maximum amounts in one day. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks within a couple of hours for men, and four for women. Heavy drinking for men is 15 drinks a week, and for women it is 8. In addition to cancer, heavy or binge drinking is associated with liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, high blood pressure, and psychological disorders.
Steps – If you don’t drink, don’t start. Some studies have suggested that moderate alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits, such as reduced risk of developing and dying of heart disease, possibly reducing your risk of ischemic stroke, and possibly reducing your risk of diabetes. However, eating a healthy diet and being physically active have much greater health benefits and have been more extensively studied.
If you drink a light to moderate amount of alcohol and are healthy, you can probably continue if you really want to, but know that the consequences could build up gradually over time and cause permanent damage to multiple organs and even the brain.
Why It Makes You Feel Better – If you have ever had a couple too many and remember how you felt the next morning, you can appreciate what a toll alcohol places on your body. Waking up with a clear head and full of energy is impossible if you had a few drinks the night before. Alcohol can impair your judgment, affect your relationships, and harm your health. Choosing not to drink can help you to achieve a standard of health and lifestyle that is worth it.
Example – In social settings, there can often be pressure to fit in. There are so many non-alcoholic alternatives now that you can still enjoy a night out without having to imbibe. Find something that you enjoy and don’t make a big deal about it. No one should ever feel pressured to drink just to fit in.
Choose health and support your body in its tireless effort to be healthy. “Do no harm” is a motto to apply not only in the way you treat others, but also in how you treat yourself.